The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a multi-plate clutch and, more particularly, to a multi-plate clutch of an aircraft.
Modern aircraft may include an airframe having an upper portion at which a main rotor is rotatably supported and a tail portion at which a tail rotor or propeller is rotatably supported. The airframe may be further configured to encompass an engine and a transmission by which the main rotor and the propeller are driven to rotate about respective rotational axes. The transmission may include an input shaft coupled to the engine, an output shaft coupled to the propeller and a clutch by which rotation of the input shaft is transmitted to the output shaft.
Typically, the clutch is operated by a complex set of controls that increase a weight and cost of the transmission and the aircraft as a whole. The controls frequently require their own power source and electrical systems, which exacts further costs to the aircraft design.